The Portland daily press., 1887-08-06
MALICE THWARTED.
How Nathaniel Cash Was Dropped
From the Pension Rolls,
And How He Was Keinstated by TX.
Harmon's ExertIons.

Nathanlel Cash OF Naples, was good and
faithful soldier in the 10th-29th Maine Regi-
ments. and near the close of the war CON
tracted the measles, which left him in bad
condition, affecting his eye sight. After the
war ne obtained pension of ten dollars a
month. About this time he had some family
trouble with an aunt who brought him up
and to whom he had sent his money while in
service, land who, with some other medde-
some parties, wrote to the Pension Office
that Cash had sore eyes when a boy, and
when he enlisted The Office sent a special
examiner to investigate the matter, who
could, in the words Of one of his friends,
find plenty of witnesses to make case
against him." When this examiner made
his report the Pension Office stopped Cash's
pension, and for over ten years he made eff
forts to be restored to the rolls, without sue
cess, the Commissioner reporting, ''that the
proof he had filed could not be considered as
sufficient to overcome the evidence that had
been filed against him.
In the meantime Cash had become thor
oughly discouraged and nearly blind, and
went to Kansas to live with a son. Some
two years ago Major John M. Gould, who
had been captain of the soldiers company,
went to q. X. Harmon. the veteran claim
agent, and stated the case to him, and as
sured him that great wrong had been done
to Cash, that he knew that his eye sight was
as good as any mans until he had the mea-
sizes. and that before the war closed Cash
had been detailed to drive an ambulance, for
which position none but competent man,
free from all defects of sight and hearing,
could or would have been selected.
Mr.. Harmon consented to take hold of the
case and began at the bottom by obtaining
copy Of the certificate of two physicians,
who had examined Cash when mustered in,
and who had pronounced him sound and
free from all physical or mental defects"
he took the testimony of Cash's officers and
comrades, and also of his old neighbors,
school teacher, and the late Mrs. Catherine
Bray. who attended in the Post Office at Ma
Piles. where Cash used to go for his letters
and papers, all of whom testified that they
never knew or heard that Cash had defective
vision, but on the contrary knew he had not.
After this testimony was filed the Commits
sioner again reported that the evidence
could not be considered as satisfactory, and
their proof, including medical, from physic-
ians who had known him, was then filed.
After long wait, notice was sent that the
claim had been placed in the hands Of e. II.
Hosmer, Esq, special examiner of the
Pension Office, with orders to examine all
the witnesses who had ever given evidence
In the case, and that the claimant could ap-
pear either by himself or an attorney, at their
examinations with liberty to cross-examine
them. A. G. Neal, Esq, an old clerk for
Mr.. Harmon, was selected for this part of
the work, and a cloud Of witnesses were ex-
amined in this and Oxford counties, and sent
on by the examiner. After long wait no.
tlce was sent that on certain day witnesses
would be examined at Boston, at which Mr..
Harmon attended, before another examiner.
This testimony was sent on, and after anoth-
or long wait notice was sent that on a GER
tain day witness would be examined by
special agent in Bangor, which examination
Mr.. Neal attended, and the witness proved
to be the Assistant Surgeon Of the Goth Reg
iment. who attended Cash after he had the
measles, and while in the service. This tes-
timony was sent on, and after another long
wait the Board of Review in the Pensian-
Office made favorable report and -N Altman
iei Cash had justice deass-H MIN at last, and
y. restored q ne pension roll at Augusta
AZ .w ss our dollars month, commencing
June oath, 1875. the day he was dropped from
the rolls, and thirty dollars a month from
March 8, 1883, the day he was examined by
the Medical Board in Kansas, the arrears
amounting to $3672.
The poor man is now totally blind, as is
believed, and Mr.. Harmon has made his
claim for an increase to seventy-two dollars
month, to which he is entitled under the
law.